Review of Shrooms (2007) by Timothy S — 11 Aug 2011

From the opening moments, I had high hopes for "Shrooms". It had more of an independent feel to it than just another made-for-video horror flick, but in the end it was unsuccessful either way. It starts off strong with an unusual set-up the hooks you right from the start mostly because you're not quite sure what direction it's heading in. This is definitely not your typical horror flick. For the first half of the picture, that is.

The locations are beautiful, and first-time director Paddy Breathnach shows some genuine visual flair here. Despite the ambitious and unpredictable nature of the screenplay, you can see elements of "The Grudge" and "The Ruins" thrown in for good measure. Still, I was willing to follow the film just to see where it would take me. That is, until the midway point when I finally came to the sad realization that the movie was going nowhere. Breathnach seems to use the same shots over and over again, and even entire scenes seem to repeat themselves as well. Believe me, your attention will unquestionably waiver once you begin the realize that the film's forward momentum has completely ceased.

The attractive young cast looks great, but only star Lindsey Haun stands out as a potential breakout star and she only stands out because she has some memorable moments at the film's conclusion. I did like the twist that comes at the end, but it's not enough to salvage the promise the movie opened with. "Shrooms" did have a lot of potential, but it's all squandered along the way.